Lickety-split: Gecko uses tongue like a windscreen wiper to clear water from its eye

  • Hilarious snap captures lizard using its enormous tongue to full effect

By STEVE ROBSON

Published: | Updated:

Visitors to a safari park watched on in amazement as this crested gecko gave itself a unique spit and polish.

The lizard was snapped using its tongue like a windscreen wiper to clear droplets of water from its eyes and nose.

Sticky: The crested gecko flicks out its huge tongue to wipe clean its eye

Sticky situation: The crested gecko flicks out its huge tongue to wipe its eye clean

Spit and polish: The gecko uses runs its tongue over its eyeball to capture a droplet of water

Spit and polish: The gecko uses runs its tongue over its eyeball to capture a droplet of water

Blinded: The gecko manages to stretch its tongue all the way across its eyelid

Blinded: The gecko manages to stretch its tongue all the way across its eyeball

The inch-long, pink tongue appeared from nowhere and was able to stretch all the way across the lizard's eyeball.

The crested gecko has no eyelids and so must use its tongue to clear away debris while a transparent scale keeps the eyeball moist.

Photographer Ian Schofield, 34, who captured the moment at Knowsley Safari Park in Liverpool, said: 'The gecko’s spiky skin gives it a menacing look but it didn’t look threatening as it licked its face.

'It poked out its tongue and moved it across its face to clear the water, starting with its nose and towards its eye.

'Its tongue looked like a rasher of bacon and was pretty flexible. I certainly couldn’t get my tongue out that far!'

Slippery customer: The gecko looks contented after giving itself a wash

Slippery customer: The gecko looks contented after giving itself a wash



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